Comprehension is something that all teachers strive for. Knowing that your class grasps the concepts and information that has been taught to them is an incredible feeling. However, how can a teacher adequately gauge the class’ comprehension? A teacher can ask a question verbally, have their students raise their hands, and then call on an individual to answer the question. All too often, class participation is limited and only a select few attempt to answer the questions. The teacher can ask the question and poll the class, asking them to raise their hands if they think the answer is answer “A”, “B”, or “C.” Many times, students simply look to their fellow classmates and follow along with the majority answer. Of course, there are also quizzes and tests, but at that point, students are expected to already know the material and if they don’t, their grades will suffer. So how can a teacher get instant feedback from all of their students, feedback that is discrete and not public, that will allow them to see the class’ overall understanding? Use one of Applied Computer Systems, Inc. (ACS) classroom management solutions!

ACS offers a variety of solutions that enable instructors to easily gauge their students’ comprehension during the course of their normal class. Both ACS’s patented hardware, LINK Systems, and their software solution, SoftLINK, provide the means to survey students discretely. How is this task accomplished? The teacher simply types in a question to the Survey area of the software and then lists the possible choices. When the survey question is sent out to the class, the students will be able to read the question, choose the response that they believe to be the correct answer, and submit their response to the teacher. This survey or poll of the class will give the teacher instant feedback. As students select their responses, the results update automatically on the teacher’s monitor. They can see what percentage of the class selected each response. They can also see how many students have answered and how many have yet to answer. This private response method allows the teacher to get a true snapshot of the students’ comprehension. Students who typically are not engaged during class will find it easier to participate and will answer questions. They will no longer fear that they will be the focus of attention if they answer incorrectly. Students will not be able to see how the other students are answering and will instead have to answer on their own accord.

Perhaps best of all, the results of these surveys can be shared with the class. Many times students who do not understand the subject matter may just conclude that no one in the class knows it. By giving the teacher the means to show a breakdown of the class, what percentage of the class selected each answer, students will now be able to better gauge how they are doing in comparison with their fellow classmates. Often, this alone will engage students to work on learning the subject matter.

These tools allow teachers to clearly see the progress their class has made. If the majority of the class answers correctly, the teacher can safely assume that the subject was covered completely and can move onto the next topic. If the results are inconsistent, the teacher can review the material while it is still fresh in the students’ minds and further their overall comprehension. This all leads to an increase in the material that can be covered during the class as well as improving overall grades for the students.

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About ACS

ACS was founded in 1971, by Electrical Engineer Donald D. Lacy and is classified as a private, veteran owned, small business. The company is located fifty miles north east of Columbus, Ohio. ACS is a veteran leader in the video and audio networking industry and manufactures video and audio switching and networking equipment.

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